Posibles factores de riesgo asociados a una estancia hospitalaria prolongada de los pacientes en la Unidad de Neonatología del Hospital San Vicente de Paúl

aim: this study pretends to identify possible risk factors associated to a prolonged stay in the neonatal unit in the hospital san vicente de paúl during the first semester of 2007. methods: a non experimental, transversal and descriptive study. it includes all the discharged in the neonatal unit of the hospital san vicente de paúl; from january the first till june the 30 of 2007. the descriptive statistic was worked out with excel 2007 and epi-info 3.3.2 version. to identify possible associations within the variables of this study and the hospital stay, a multivariate analysis using logistic regression was used by the statistic program egret？. results: the first three discharge diagnostics were jaundice, neonatal sepsis followed by transitory taquipnea of the new born. the average hospital stay was 5.6 days. a statistical relationship was observed between apgar ≤ 6, a premature new born and the diagnostics of neonatal sepsis, respiratory disorders, perinatal hypoxia and congenital lues with a hospital stay over 6 days. the variable apgar, respiratory disorders and neonatal sepsis lost statistical significance after thorough analysis. conclusions: this study was carried out to determine factors that may determine lengths of stay in the neonatal unit in the hospital san vicente de paúl. possible statistical relationship were observed between apgar equal or less than 6, a premature new born and the diagnostics of neonatal sepsis, respiratory disorders, perinatal hypoxia and congenital lues with a hospital stay over 6 days. the data provided must be complemented with other studies to determine the main causes that determine length of stay and ways in which to prevent them.